Bleeding Out
by LRRH17
Summary: "Hela wants revenge on Thanos," Loki says. "She brought me back to life so that we could travel back in time, to the day I invaded your planet, and stop him before he sets his plan in motion." [post-Infinity War/Endgame AU]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Normally, I work my fic around canon, but this is the first time that I've decided to write something completely AU. As a result, there are only very mild spoilers for Endgame in the last part of this. I've never written the Avengers in a group setting, either, but I had to try after seeing Endgame. Title taken from the Imagine Dragons song of the same name. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

He arrives on Midgard the same way he did six years ago.

There is no platform this time, of course – no scepter in his hands, either – but he appears amidst the rubble of the old SHIELD facility with the raw energy of the space stone pulsing around him.

He is not surprised that they are waiting for him. In fact, he counted on it. Mortals may be fleeting, weak creatures, but they can be surprisingly intelligent on occasion. Besides; these so-called heroes are not entirely mortal, are they?

"Do not attack!" a familiar voice calls, and Loki feels the weight of the past few weeks instantly lift from his shoulders. Thor. Thor is _alive_. Thor has survived all that Thanos did to the universe. His sacrifice was not in vain.

He lifts his head, eyes falling on his brother first.

"_Loki?"_

He raises his hands in a placating gesture, unsure of how well he will be received. "Brother," he begins, voice still a bit raspy from Thanos's cruelty, "I swear to you on my life – no matter how meaningless a thing that might be – that my death was not a ruse."

"But you're alive."

He winces. "Well, yes, but only because I – "

Loki breaks off abruptly at the sight of Thor rushing at him, bracing himself for the typical pain and anger that accompanies his resurrections. Instead of being thrown to the ground by Thor's fists, though, he is nearly lifted off his feet by the overwhelming force of…a _hug_? Loki's mind goes blank for a moment as Thor wraps his arms around his brother, clinging to Loki with all of his impressive might.

It only takes a moment for Loki to overcome his shock at the unexpected gesture. Squeezing his eyes shut to hold back his tears, he returns the hug with his own strength, depleted though it may be.

It took him far too long to realize it, but he knows now – without a doubt – that there is no Loki without Thor, and no Thor without Loki. They've always worked best side by side.

That's why he has come back. It's finally time to make things right.

"Loki," Thor says, voice muffled by Loki's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, brother. I'm so sorry."

"For what, you oaf? _You_ did not strangle me to death."

"For calling you the worst. I did not mean it. You have _never_ been the worst, even when you were mad."

Loki huffs a laugh. "'Were?' I'm fairly certain I still am."

"Uh, hate to break up the family reunion," another voice interrupts from across the clearing, "but if you're done hugging your un-killable brother, Thor, we still have work to do."

Stark. Loki pulls away from Thor, eying the man encased in what appears to be a brand-new, high-tech red and gold suit. He needs all the Avengers on his side, but he needs Stark more than the rest. The man is not called "genius" on Midgard for nothing. But how is he going to convince _any_ of them that he has changed? He does not have enough time to win their trust slowly.

_Well,_ he thinks to himself, _you're called Silvertongue. Now is the time to live up to that name._

Clearing his throat, he takes a step forward. Thor keeps his hand on Loki's shoulder, grounding him. "Avengers," he begins, unsure of even how to address them, "I must…apologize. My actions against you and your world were not…kind."

He almost sighs at himself out loud. _So much for Silvertongue._

Barton laughs, leveling his arrow at Loki's chest. "That's the understatement of the decade."

Loki meets his eyes for a moment before looking away to the other heroes. If his pretty words will not serve him now, he must turn to that which he had kept secret for so long – the truth. It's not a pleasant idea, but he does not have a choice. They do not have much time to change things.

Taking a deep breath, he continues, "They were not actions I would have undertaken on my own. I was forced into attacking your home; Thanos manipulated me, both physically and psychologically. I – "

"Bruce and Thor told us." This time, it is the Captain who steps in. Loki has to bite his tongue to stop himself from commenting on the frankly ridiculous appearance the man has now adopted. Rogers is standing up for him; he cannot belittle the soldier's bushman hair and beard. "We know you're on our side, Loki."

He breathes a sigh of relief. Who knew that honesty could be so powerful? "Thank you." Thor squeezes his shoulder, and the brothers exchange a look – Loki to express his gratitude, Thor to express his pride at Loki's bravery. The look in Thor's eyes is –

Wait. _Eyes?_

"Your eye," Loki blurts out, forgetting the importance of his mission for just a moment.

Thor laughs. "It's a bit odd, isn't it? Useful, though, particularly in our battle against Thanos. It was given to me by a very sweet, talking rabbit. You must meet him."

A sweet, talking rabbit.

Perhaps Loki is not the mad one after all.

"You can catch up on the way to the compound," the Widow says, interrupting his thoughts. "Once we're there, you can get cleaned up, and then you can tell us why you're here."

Loki nods, unsurprised that she of all people would be the one to recognize that he is here for a purpose.

Barton reluctantly lowers his weapon. "And we're just gonna ignore the fact that he somehow got the Tesseract back when, last time we saw it, it was attached to a purple maniac's magic glove?"

Loki cannot help himself. He smirks. "The 'purple maniac' is no more, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the rest of that story."

He heads for the clearing beyond the rest of the old facility's rubble, spotting the ship the so-called Avengers used to travel here. He does not even look back to see if they are following him.

He doesn't have to. He knows they will.

* * *

It feels absolutely wonderful to actually be _clean_ – to wash his hair and face, and to get out of his torn, bloodied leathers. He dons the casual Midgardian clothing that Thor had left for him on the bed without complaint. Though he hates to admit it, the baggy gray pants and long-sleeved green shirt are both soft and comfortable.

He makes his way down to the conference room they had all agreed upon meeting in once everyone was settled in, even though he is early. He rather likes the idea of simply sitting in one place and doing nothing for a short time, without worrying that he should be focusing on something more important.

It seems he is not the only one to have had this thought. Seated at the far end of the long table – and looking as awkward as ever – is none other than Bruce Banner. He looks up from the paperwork before him at the sound of the door, giving Loki a small smile.

"Hello, Bruce," Loki says softly, taking a seat not far from the doctor.

Banner's smile grows the slightest bit. "Hey, Loki. It's…it's good to see you."

They lapse into a companionable silence, Banner returning his attention to what he had been reading before Loki entered the room. Loki can't help but wonder at the peaceful, calm aura that surrounds the doctor, easing his own troubled thoughts about what he must do soon. He never thought that he would willingly sit beside the human hiding the rage-filled beast that is the Hulk – but after all they have been through together, he can accept the almost-friendship that they share.

So much has changed over the last few years.

"Can I ask you a question?"

He looks at Banner, watching as the man takes off his glasses and begins to fiddle with them with one hand. He inclines his head in invitation. "I don't see why not."

"You died."

Loki smirks. "That's not a question."

Banner sighs. "I know; I'm getting there. I'm guessing you told Thor how it all went down? You explained to him how you came back?"

"I did."

"Would you tell me?"

It is strangely kind of him to ask. He has seen so much of Thor and Loki's world, now, that he almost has the right to demand the answer. How can Loki deny him this?

Just as he is preparing himself to answer, though, the rest of the team files into the conference room, joining them around the table. Banner nods at Loki once they are all seated.

Taking a deep breath, he begins his tale. "Hela was not destroyed when Asgard burned."

Banner blinks in shock, but quickly takes the information in stride. "Okay."

"When I died, she welcomed me to her domain – but it wasn't long before she summoned me, tasking me with something that she claimed was…dire." Loki sighs, rubbing a hand across his eyes tiredly. "She was displeased with Thanos. He promised her that he would use the Infinity Stones to send half of the universe to her realm, as a gift to her. When he finally collected the stones, though, he only captured a random half of all living creatures within the soul stone itself. None of them are dead."

He pauses, acknowledging the disbelief – and the unabashed _hope_ – in each person's expression.

Stark leans forward. "Are you telling me that everyone we lost – everyone we _love _– is still alive, somewhere?"

"I am. Hela sent my spirit back to my old body, with the power to bring them back, on one condition: that I find Thor, and ally myself with him and you to bring about the end of Thanos."

"I thought you said he was already dead," Barton accuses, glaring.

"He is dead _now_," Loki continues, "but Hela wants greater revenge. She wants us to travel back in time to the day that I invaded your planet, and stop him there, before he can even begin to set his plan in motion. That's why she gifted me these."

He glances at his brother, pretending he doesn't need the reassuring nod Thor gives him to continue. He pulls the Tesseract from its hiding place, letting it settle in his palm with a familiar hum of power. With his other hand, he reaches into the space between realms again, this time setting the Midgardian sorcerer's amulet down on the table before him.

The room falls completely silent.

Loki's voice grows even hoarser as he continues to speak. "She gifted me these so that I might return to the exact moment and place where it all began those years ago. She killed Thanos herself and extracted these from the Gauntlet." He laughs. "Obviously, she did not trust me with the completed Gauntlet. Even I see how horrible an idea that would be. But she did trust me enough to give me this second chance."

The heroes around him exchange looks as he finishes and sets the Tesseract down on the table beside the Eye of Agamotto.

It is the Widow who finally breaks the silence. "You're asking us to give you that same trust. With the knowledge you'll have of this potential future that we're living, how do we know that you won't use it against us to win the Battle of New York?"

"You don't," he admits. "But as you have said, I know how this future goes. I know how my story ends – with pain and tragedy, leaving my brother and my people behind when they need me most."

Barton rolls his eyes. "So you're doing it to save yourself."

Loki resists the urge to roll his eyes right back at the mortal. Did the archer _not _hear what he just said about Thor and Asgard?

"No," Stark says, surprised, studying Loki as he leans back in his chair once more. "I think that's actually the first non-selfish thing I've heard him say."

Thor places his hand on his brother's shoulder again. "My friends, I assure you that Loki speaks the truth. And while I had my reservations at first, his plan is quite good. He means to use the time stone to return to the night of our mountaintop battle. Do you remember it?"

"You mean the time I beat both you and Tony?" the Captain teases, eyes bright.

"Yes, yes," Thor replies, grinning, waving his hand dismissively. "But that is beside the point. My brother knows the exact moment that he will reveal Thanos's presence to our past selves. I asked him a question, that night."

"'Who controls the would-be king?'" Loki quotes wryly. He meets Barton's glare with a direct, unguarded expression. "This time, I will tell him the truth."

Still, Barton seems unimpressed. "And how is that gonna work out for any of us when that _thing_ can get into your head any time it wants?"

Loki frowns. He had hoped that certain details of his bargain with Thanos – such as the Other's ability to call on him through the scepter – had gone unnoticed by Barton while the archer was under the mind stone's influence. It seems he is not that lucky. "For many years, I have been able to conceal myself from Heimdall, the watchman of Asgard. So long as the scepter is not in my hands, I can use that same concealing power to keep myself from the Other's grasp."

"You will be safe as well, Clint," Thor interjects. "Once Loki has told us everything, I myself will use the scepter to free you and Erik Selvig from the mind stone's control. You should be yourself once more but hours after the events that took place in Stuttgart."

"And we'll believe Loki when he tells us the truth," Romanoff murmurs, "because none of us will remember this future. Back then, he hasn't lied to us yet."

Loki nods. Though it will wound his pride, he _will_ tell them the truth – all of it. His relationship with Thanos will be exposed for the painful, imbalanced thing that it was.

As if he is reading Loki's mind, Rogers gives him an approving nod. "That will take a lot of courage, Loki. I'm grateful that you're willing to do this for us – for everyone, really."

"We all are. Grateful, I mean." Banner smiles at him, and Loki can't help but smile back.

"We should begin soon. Hela urged me to be quick about my return."

"Yeah, about that." Stark removes his orange-tinted glasses and places them on the table. "You've got a problem, Reindeer Games. The time stone won't get you back to where - when? - you want to be. Not on its own, at least. Strange's assistant, Wong, explained it to me after I got back to Earth."

"Strange?" Loki growls.

"He's an Earth wizard, apparently. He's the one that wears that fancy necklace you've got there."

"I know who he is."

"Well, he said that the stone can destroy reality as we know it if you 'unwind' time too far. So we need something to stabilize the stone's power – something like the Gauntlet."

Loki groans in frustration. Why is _nothing_ ever easy for him? "And where can I find this stabilizer?"

Stark grins. "Lucky for you, you know someone who can make one. Actually, you know someone who has already _started_ to make one."

Loki rolls his eyes, but he begins to grin back. He _knew_ that Stark's intelligence would aide his mission. "So you're not as useless as you seem," he quips. "I'm thrilled."

Stark laughs as he stands. "Back at ya, Reindeer Games."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm absolutely blown away by the response this story has received. Thank you all for the support! It means the world.**

* * *

"Are you sure you can do this?"

Loki's head jerks up from where it rests on the table. He blinks groggily, squinting against the bright overhead lighting of Stark's lab. He had only meant to close his eyes for a moment, but it seems he had actually drifted off while waiting for Banner and Stark to finalize the plans for the stabilizer. Strange, that he was comfortable enough to be vulnerable in their presence.

Bruce winces. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

Loki waves a hand dismissively. Stifling a yawn, he replies, "I do not have a choice."

Banner sighs. "I know. It's just…I'm worried about you, Loki."

Loki hides his surprise, only lifting an eyebrow in question. "Oh?"

"The knowledge of this future – one where everyone suffers so much, including you – is a lot to bear. I mean this nicely, but if the past is anything to go by, you have to admit that there's a chance you might not handle it well."

"He means that you might crack," Stark says, with all his usual tact. He does not look up from the pieces of metal he is shaping in his hands. "You know. Freak out. Go bananas."

"Tony," Banner admonishes, exasperated.

"What? _You_ weren't gonna say it."

"Because I was trying to be _nice._"

"It's fine, Bruce," Loki interrupts. The two men bicker like he and Thor do if left to their own devices. "I understand what the both of you are saying. But I can't exactly sacrifice half the universe for my own sake, can I?"

Stark does look up then, using the back of one hand to push his safety goggles up his forehead. His shrewd gaze seems to pin Loki in place. "You really _have_ changed."

What is he to say to that? Of _course_ he has changed. Everything he knew has been torn from his grasp, just as he had finally begun to learn that he could not live without it. The chance that he might get all of that back – his home, his parents, his friends – fills him with hope, something he has not dared to feel in many years. He can give everyone else in the universe that same hope if he goes through with this. More than that, Hela gave _him_ this chance; she deemed no one else capable of instigating Thanos's demise.

In the end, all he can do is shrug and say, "Yes. I have."

Stark eyes him a moment longer before returning to his task. "I know what that's like."

Loki grins, lifting a hand to his chest in mock sincerity. "Are you trying to lighten my mood by finding similarities between us? I'm touched, Stark. Truly."

The man flashes him a lopsided smile before sobering once more. "All I'm saying is, this team knows how it feels to have everything turned upside down on us. We've seen things that we wish we could forget. Just like you. I never thought I'd say this, but I don't hate you, Loki."

"_None_ of us hate you," Banner supplies. "Not anymore, now that we know the truth."

Yet again, Loki finds himself rendered speechless in the face of their kindness. He does not deserve this understanding – not after all he has done to their world. "I thank you both," he finally says, quietly. He cannot seem to meet their eyes as he speaks. "You have been far too gracious towards me."

Banner crosses the room, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're basically going to save the world," the doctor says, a sad smile on his face. "It's the least we can do."

* * *

In the morning, they meet in a large, open area of the compound. Windows line the wall on one side, simple gray paneling the other. Stark and Banner are already bustling around the raised platform in the center of the space. Romanoff, Rogers, and Barton sit on crates just off to the side.

When Loki and Thor enter the room, side-by-side, all eyes turn to them. Loki instinctively lifts his chin, an old act of defiance and confidence that he perfected in his youth. The gold of his armor catches the sunlight blazing through the tall windows, and for a moment, he feels invincible.

The moment ends when his gaze settles on the contraption already seated on the raised platform. Though he is willing to go through with this, he can't help but feel nervous in the face of changing time itself.

He takes a deep breath and turns to Thor. "This is it, brother."

Thor nods, his eyes already shining with unshed tears. They had stayed up most of the night talking, coming to terms with everything that had happened – both between and to them – over the last few years. Though Loki had avoided such a conversation in the past, it had felt unexpectedly freeing to finally put it all into words – even if he _did_ miss out on a full night's rest because of it.

Thor reaches to clasp Loki's neck with one hand, just as he has done for centuries, but he abruptly stops mid-motion. For one second, his gaze flicks down to the massive purple bruise on Loki's neck. His hand comes to rest on his brother's shoulder instead, giving it a firm squeeze. "I am proud of you, Loki."

Loki blinks back his own tears, overwhelmed by his brother's words. He doesn't resist when Thor draws him into his second hug in less than twenty-four hours. Though they will see each other again in just a few minutes, _this_ Thor will be gone forever as soon as Loki travels back in time. It feels like another devastating loss.

When they part, Loki gives his brother one last smile before making his way to Stark and Banner.

Stark points to the middle of the platform. "Center stage, Reindeer Games."

He climbs up to the indicated spot, snapping the bracelet Stark had given him last night into place on his wrist. He bounces on the balls of his feet as Banner turns on the machine.

"Ready?" the doctor asks.

Loki nods, meeting the gaze of each person present. "Farewell, Earth's mightiest heroes," he says, no trace of mockery in his voice.

The green glow of the time stone washes over him. Just as he is pulled into its power, he hears Stark call one last thing after him.

"Welcome to the team, Loki."

* * *

He crashes into his old self - into the _past_ \- with a gasp.

His surroundings immediately come into focus when he opens his eyes, the familiar mountaintop scenery stretching around him. Against his will, his body turns, changing his view from that of the darkened landscape to Thor, walking steadily toward him.

"I have grown, _Odinson, _in my exile." Though his mouth forms the words, his mind rebels, desperate to give himself a moment to _breathe_. Being ripped backwards in time feels like being run over by a bilgesnipe. Still, he is compelled to continue speaking. "I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it – "

"Who showed you this power?" Thor demands. "Who controls the would-be king?"

"I – " Loki interrupts himself mid-sentence, finally gaining control over his own actions. He inhales a shaky breath, lifting a trembling hand experimentally. It _worked._ Stark successfully sent him to the exact moment they had agreed upon. He cannot help but laugh breathlessly in relief.

"Loki?" Thor's voice takes on a note of concern as he clearly notices his brother's strange actions.

Loki looks up, and the moment his gaze meets Thor's, an overwhelming sense of _rage_ fills him. An urgency coming from somewhere in the back of his mind demands that he _attack Thor, __**now,**__ he doesn't care, he has __**never**__ cared about you, make him __**sorry**_ –

He clutches his head in his hands, squeezing his eyes shut against the onslaught of emotion. He had forgotten the extent of the mind stone's sway over his anger. How had he even been able to _think_, let alone plot to rule an entire planet, with these feelings being pushed to the forefront of his brain?

Thor's hand settles on the side of his neck, and while a part of Loki finds it comforting, the majority of him still has the urge to furiously smack his brother's hand away. "Brother," Thor asks softly, "are you alright?"

Loki shakes his head. "Thor. Thor, I – I'm sorry – the stone is making me want to – " He shakes his head again in an attempt to focus. He opens his eyes, meeting Thor's with unguarded sincerity. "I need your help, brother."

As ever, Thor answers with his heart, speaking before he has thought through his words. "Anything, Loki. Tell me how to help you."

A wave of nausea causes Loki to sway on his feet, dizzy. _Banner did not mention after-effects,_ he thinks, blinking to clear the spots from his vision. "The scepter," he manages. "Keep me away from the scepter."

"Done."

"Barton. Find Barton and Selvig, and use the scepter to free them. Tha – " He nearly chokes on the titan's name, terrified for a moment that even speaking it aloud will summon the creature's wrath upon him. "There is an army," he says instead. "The Chitauri. They are ruled by a being who means to destroy this world to gain the Tesseract."

"I don't understand," Thor replies. "Moments ago, you said _you_ planned to rule Earth. What is this talk of another, waiting in the shadows? Why do you suddenly seem frightened?"

Loki opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, the world starts spinning. Darkness creeps into the edges of his vision. "Barton," he repeats. "Barton and Selvig first. Thor, you must – "

Distantly, he hears Thor call his name; then, he collapses.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you again for jumping onboard this idea with me! Each review, follow, and favorite has made my day.**

* * *

He wakes slowly, aware of Thor's presence at his side before anything else.

"…hurt that badly. Do you have any idea how?"

"No." His brother's voice is low, soft – pained. "Loki has always had his enemies, but I can think of no being in all the nine realms that would cause him such physical harm."

"If our tests are anything to go by," a familiar voice says, "it's more than just the physical. Prolonged exposure to the scepter may have damaged him psychologically."

Loki struggles to place who is speaking, even as he tries to focus on what the speaker is telling Thor.

"Are you saying that he was controlled, like Barton?" Thor asks.

"No, he's been in control of himself this entire time. But the scepter – it has a stone in the center. It acts as a power source."

"Yes. It is called the mind stone."

The other speaker shuffles his feet, moving closer to Loki. "That makes sense. It looks like it's been fueling Loki's emotions, especially the negative ones. Anger, jealousy, fear…he's been feeling them on a much worse level than most normal people do."

Loki's heart begins to beat faster. Banner. The doctor must have been caring for him since his collapse.

"That cannot be easy," Thor murmurs.

Banner huffs a laugh. "Believe me, it's not. Of all people, I would know."

The corner of Loki's mouth twitches, but he schools his expression before he smiles. So Banner is already on his side. Who could have anticipated that?

Before they continue speaking, Loki intentionally shifts, letting them know that he is waking.

Thor leans closer to him. "Loki?" he asks quietly.

Loki slowly opens his eyes, blinking repeatedly until Thor comes into focus. His brother's expression breaks into a grin even before he says anything. "Thor," he croaks, then winces at the sound of his own voice. _Wonderful,_ he thinks. _I did not even sound this awful when Thanos – _

He stops himself before he can finish that sentence. It is probably best not to dwell on one's own death.

Swallowing hard, he continues, "How long have I…"

"Only a few hours," Thor replies. "We are in a safe place – a Midgardian hospital onboard a large flying craft. Bruce Banner, a healer of this realm, has been caring for you."

Loki blearily looks over at the doctor. "Thank you," he manages. Banner nods, giving him a small smile. Loki looks back at Thor. "Barton?"

"Both he and Selvig have been released from the stone's power, as have the other agents you met upon your arrival here."

Loki nods, relieved. The first step in his plan is complete. Now he must focus on making the Avengers the team he knows they can be. They _must_ come together before Thanos discovers his betrayal, or all will be lost. He struggles to sit up straight, but a sharp pain in his left side immediately forces him back onto the pillows behind him, breathless.

It is only then that he begins to truly take in his surroundings. He is lying in a small bed, a strange assortment of wires and tubes running from his arms to a large machine that he can hear beeping just out of his sight. There is one small window in the room, allowing him to see the early-dawn sky. A security camera rests in a corner of the ceiling. Loki briefly makes eye contact with it before looking down at himself once more.

He is still wearing his leathers, but his overcoat has been removed, as has most of the metal armor that covers his shoulders and forearms. The hem of his undershirt has been pulled up enough to reveal the ugly gash that sits just at his waist. He winces at the sight of the white bandage now covering it, both in remembrance of the pain that accompanied receiving it, and a mixture of shame and irritation that Banner and Thor have discovered this weakness.

He quickly tries to quell those emotions, fighting against his urge to become angry with them. It is not their fault that the Maw had seen fit to teach him one more _lesson_ before he had been sent to Earth. Besides; isn't he _supposed_ to be revealing such things this time around?

"I cleaned it up and bandaged it," Banner states, following his gaze. "It should be fine in a few days or so, but you should really go easy, okay? Especially with your other injuries."

Ignoring the doctor's recommendation, Loki struggles to sit up once more. "You saw them, then."

Banner nods sheepishly. "Once I saw how badly you were stabbed, I felt obligated to check for other reasons that you might have collapsed. Although you _were_ stabbed pretty horribly, it wasn't a fresh wound, so it shouldn't have been enough to knock you out. That's when I found the burns on your arms."

"Loki," Thor interrupts, reaching for his brother's hand, "I swear that whoever has done this to you shall know my wrath. _No one_ may harm a prince of Asgard."

Well. It seems he already has Banner _and_ Thor on his side.

Only four Avengers left to win over.

* * *

"I'm not buying this."

Loki rolls his eyes. Past-Stark is as irritating as he remembers. "Whyever not?"

The man stands, slowly making his way around the circular conference table where they are all seated. "Nobody has a change of heart _that_ fast."

"You did," Rogers says.

Stark sighs, giving the captain a look. "I'm trying to make a point, Cap."

Rogers lifts his hands in frustration, but he remains silent.

"It is not a change of heart," Loki continues. He straightens in his seat, attempting to convey his usual air of power and confidence, even though he is still attached to the machine from the small medical room. "It is the realization that I have more to lose in this scenario than I have to gain."

"And what is it that you have to lose, exactly?"

"My freedom. My brother's trust. My very life, in fact."

Fury steps out of the shadows of the room. "Care to explain how you suddenly came to this realization? 'Cause I'm not buying this, either."

Loki laughs. "Barton can answer that one for you." He turns towards the archer. "Do you recall what Selvig said about the Tesseract when we were in the tunnels?"

A far-away look comes over Barton's expression for a moment. "The Tesseract is more than knowledge," he quotes, slowly. "It's truth."

"Precisely. As I have told you, I have seen what my actions can bring upon your world and mine." It is not _exactly_ a lie, but it is also not quite the truth. _Such is my area of expertise,_ Loki thinks.

Thor crosses his arms. "My brother has warned me that there is another behind his attack – another creature that harmed him, and forced him to seek out the Tesseract."

All eyes turn to Banner then, looking to the doctor for his opinion on the matter. He fidgets with his sleeves as he speaks. "There are clear signs that he was tortured. A combination of dehydration, blood loss, and some kind of molecular manipulation caused him to pass out last night. I don't think he's lying to us."

Loki nods at the doctor, silently thanking him. "His name is Thanos," he murmurs, forcing himself to speak the syllables aloud, "and his goal is to decimate half of the universe's population. If he acquires the Tesseract, he is one step closer to completing that goal."

Stark returns to his seat, still scrutinizing Loki. "So you're willing to betray this guy 'cause of the possible future you've seen in the Tesseract – a future where Thanos wins."

"Yes."

"And you're willing to jump onto our side of things. To help us stop him, in return for us protecting you _from_ him when he comes."

Loki leans forward in his chair, deliberately making eye contact with each of the Avengers seated around him. He speaks with a quiet, deadly precision. "I will do more than help you stop him. Together, we will _kill_ Thanos, and wipe his name from the universe's ledger for good."

The room falls completely silent. He sits back again, ignoring the twinge of pain in his left side.

After several moments, Romanoff finally speaks. "Tell us everything you know about him."

Loki grins.


	4. Chapter 4

They spend the next few hours deep in conversation, planning.

Living in the past is harder than Loki expected. He knew it would be difficult, of course – but pretending he has little knowledge of, and no shared history with, the Avengers is a complicated affair. Luckily, a combination of Barton's shock and the power of the scepter has made it easy to act as if the archer told him the details he should not know. Barton is still struggling to remember his time in the tunnels.

"So that's the game plan," Stark finally says, gesturing to the hologram before them. "Reindeer Games, what were Thanos's daughters names again? I'm gonna put 'em into JARVIS's database. Makes us less likely to kill them."

"Gamora and Nebula. They are vicious fighters, but as I explained, neither truly wants to be a part of Thanos's army." He had been hesitant about revealing this information, but Hela had ordered him to leave the sisters be – without them, there will be no "guardians of the galaxy." Whatever that means. He can't imagine Gamora and Nebula acting as the guardians of _anything_, let alone the entire _galaxy_.

Stark types their names in, adding them to the information that Loki had provided about Thanos. "Got it. We'll suit up and meet back here in an hour."

The room empties except for Thor, Stark, and himself. Thor only lingers because he is still worried about his brother. He hovers by Loki's shoulder, appearing uncertain; it is a look that Loki really sees. Though he is touched by the concern, the part of him still fighting off the effects of the mind stone finds this display of sentiment to be _terribly_ tedious.

He turns as far as the wires in his arm will allow, eyeing Thor. "You have a battle to prepare for, do you not?"

Thor frowns. "Loki – "

Loki raises a hand, breaking him off mid-sentence. He does not wish to have this conversation – _again_ – so soon. "I know, Thor. But this is not the time."

His brother nods, steely determination hardening his expression. "We will speak afterwards, then."

"Wonderful," Loki says wryly, but he gives Thor a small smile. After a moment, Thor returns it, patting Loki's back before he exits the room as well.

Loki is left alone with Stark.

_Silvertongue,_ he reminds himself. _If you can win over Stark, you have a chance against Thanos._

Of course, Stark breaks the silence first. "You know I still don't trust you, right?"

Loki laughs. "It is a mutual distrust, I assure you." More lies. Of all the Avengers, Stark is the one he trusts most.

"There's still something I don't get, though." The mortal is looking at him with that same intensity from before – as if Loki is a broken machine in Stark's workshop, and all the genius has to do is find the right tool to fix him. "I don't trust you, but a part of me thinks that I should. I feel like I know you."

"That's absurd," Loki replies, careful to keep his expression blank. "We only met last night."

"Yeah, but…I _remember_ you."

Loki raises an eyebrow in question. "Oh?"

"It's fuzzy," Stark admits, frowning, "but I can picture you standing in my living room. I remember offering you a drink."

Loki freezes, mind sputtering for a moment as he tries to form a reply. This is impossible. Stark is brilliant, yes, but he should not have any memories of the future that is being undone. Searching for anything to say, he manages, "Perhaps you were dreaming."

Stark only stares at him for a few more seconds before shrugging. "I guess we'll find out."

"Or," Loki continues, already regretting bringing this half-truth up, "perhaps you were affected by the Tesseract's power as well. Even from a distance, it is possible that you were given a glimpse of that same future that I explained."

The mortal nods, thoughtful. "Makes sense. In that future you saw, did I tell you that we had a Hulk?"

Loki laughs before he can stop himself. "You did."

"Well," Stark says, grinning, "then I guess I should congratulate you for picking the right side this time. And while I'm still not offering you my trust…maybe we can work on it." He extends a hand in Loki's direction.

Loki takes his hand without hesitation, shaking it. "I look forward to it, Stark."

"Tony."

He inclines his head. "Tony, then."

"Welcome to the team, Loki."

* * *

"You are being _ridiculous,_" Loki growls, gritting his teeth. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself in a battle such as this. I have done so _countless_ times before."

Banner doesn't budge. "I doubt you were on the verge of passing out all those other times."

"Actually," Thor calls from the other side of the room, "there was this one battle, in Vanaheim – "

"Thor." Loki glares at his brother. "If you speak _one more word_, I _will_ throw my dagger at you. And I will not miss."

Thor laughs, but he ceases speaking. Good. There is only so much of Thor that Loki can take right now. He runs a hand through his hair tiredly, temporarily forgetting how tangled it is in this time.

Banner continues to watch him. "You're exhausted, Loki. You can stay here, on the helicarrier, and get some rest while the team deals with this."

"Stark used that word earlier as well – _team._ How quaint." Still, he grins, pleased with this development. It seems that things are continuing to go in his favor. Wonders never cease.

But he will not be bullied into inaction by these humans.

He slowly rises to his feet, using a touch of his magic to tug the wires from his arm. When he speaks, his voice is low and dark. "I will fight. And I _will_ have my revenge on Thanos." Hela promised him that, at least.

"I really don't think – "

"Doctor Banner," Thor interrupts. He approaches the two of them, straightening his right vambrace. "If my brother wants to fight, he shall fight. He deserves this chance."

Banner sighs in frustration, lifting his hands in surrender. "Fine. But the first time you get hurt, you tell us. You're not dying on my watch."

"Of course," Loki lies.

* * *

He realizes that something is wrong just before the quinjet lands.

They had agreed that it would be best to initiate the battle in the middle of America's west, far from civilian life. Miles of empty fields stretch into the horizon on either side of the craft. The area should feel still – calm, like it is simply waiting for them to arrive. Instead, it feels…_off._

Rogers and Romanoff move to exit the quinjet as it settles, but Loki lifts his arm to block their path. "Wait."

He reaches out with his seidr, seeking anything that might have malevolent intentions.

_There._

Thanos.

He feels the titan pulling at the Tesseract, calling on its power to open a portal from the other side of space.

He whirls around to face the team, eyes wide. "He knows. He is trying – "

The sky opens with a sickening rip, a beam of energy from the Tesseract revealing an all-too familiar sight: Thanos's ship, and a legion of Chitauri warriors.

The Avengers immediately rush out into the field, ready to fight. Loki moves to follow.

_**ASGARDIAN.**_

He falls to his knees in the tall grass, clutching his head as the Other's voice thunders in his mind.

_**YOU HAVE BETRAYED US.**_

_Get out,_ he thinks desperately. Without the scepter, the Other should have no way to contact him. How is this happening? _ Get out, get out, get __**out.**_

The Other only laughs.

_**DID YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD HIDE FROM US? FROM HE WHO PUT THE SCEPTER IN YOUR HANDS? YOU ARE OURS, ASGARDIAN.**_

"I am _not,"_ he whispers. The battle rages around him, but he is oblivious to it.

_**YOU WILL FINISH WHAT YOU WERE SENT TO DO.**_

"I will not. You will never – " His voice breaks off as pain lances through his head.

_**YOU WILL!**_

"_I will not!"_ he shouts, magic exploding out of his control. It clears a small circle around him, felling the Chitauri that dared to come within his reach. Letting his hands fall back to his sides, he turns his gaze to the sky, directing the most powerful glare he can muster at the ship looming through the portal. "Thanos," he continues, knowing the titan will hear him despite the distance, "you hold no power over me. I am Loki, beholden to no one, and I will end your life today."

The Other scoffs. _**YOU HAVE NO POWER WITH WHICH – **_

Loki severs the tether in his mind connecting the Other to his thoughts, heedless of the pain it brings.

"Do you hear me, Thanos?!" he screams. He stands, letting his power flow through him like it never has before. All across the field, Chitauri fall. _"You are a dead man walking!"_

"Loki!"

He turns, finding Stark standing next to him.

The mortal taps a metal contraption labeled "EXPLOSIVES – STARK" held loosely in his armored hand. "I'm bringing Thanos a gift – the last of its kind, in fact. You want in?"

Loki grins, knowing he looks mad. "You may not even need that if you can get me close enough."

"Good."

Stark grabs Loki's arm, pulling him along into the sky. They race towards the portal. When they have just reached its threshold, they stop.

"On three," Loki commands, and Stark nods.

Together, they fling Stark's weapon directly into the center of the portal, aimed for Thanos's ship. The titan's forces immediately converge on it, but Loki throws up a shield around it with his magic, even adding as much seidr as he can to the explosives themselves to make them deadlier.

Stark tugs Loki back a foot, bringing them back into the Earth's atmosphere just as the explosives hit the ship. "Close the portal," Stark says into the team's communication system.

They watch as the portal closes on the most glorious sight Loki has ever seen – flames billowing from the ship that has haunted his nightmares for six years. The explosion leaves nothing but scattered bits of metal in its wake.

He and Stark return to the ground.

Thanos is dead.

Loki sways on his feet, overwhelmed; Thor steadies him with a hand on his shoulder.

Rogers continues to watch the sky, his disbelief clear on his face. "We won."

Loki laughs, filled with joy and relief. "We won," he agrees.

* * *

**A/N: Only one chapter left! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

"So…do you do that often?"

Loki glances at Bruce out of the corner of his eye. The seven of them are seated around the large dining table in the tower, eating some strange Midgardian food that Stark – _Tony_, he corrects himself – had insisted they get following the battle. He cannot recall its name now (shawarma, perhaps?), but it does have a pleasant taste. Clearly the Avengers agree. Up until Bruce's question a moment ago, no one had said a word.

He raises an eyebrow, conscious of how every eye is now trained on him. "Do what?" he asks quietly.

Bruce looks down at his plate, moving his noodles around with a fork. "You were…kind of scary back there, with all your magic and stuff."

"Evil-genius-level scary," Tony says around a mouthful. He swallows. "Kinda like Darth Vader. Or maybe somebody from – "

"We're glad you're on our side," Rogers interrupts. He gives Tony a look before smiling at Loki.

Loki attempts to return the smile. It feels strange, to be directing a pleasantry at the captain.

Tony points at him. "Right there! That face. It's _exactly_ what Bruce is talking about. You look…maniacal."

Loki sighs, turning back to the doctor. "It seems that I do, in fact, do 'that' often, then."

Bruce laughs. "Maybe that's a good thing. It seemed to work against Thanos."

"Bruce is right. We might be able to use a little bit of maniacal around here," Romanoff says. She, too, is smiling.

Thor rests a hand on his shoulder, and the weight of it is oddly comforting. The mind stone's influence must be waning – especially with the death of Thanos earlier in the day. Even more comforting than that, though, is the unexpected warmth he feels at the Avengers' words.

_Perhaps this is how it feels to belong,_ he thinks.

He is more than willing to find out.

* * *

_TEN YEARS LATER  
_

"…twenty-eight….twenty-nine…thirty! Ready or not, here I come!"

Morgan giggles. Though he can't help but smile back, Loki raises a finger to his lips, gently shaking his head. She nods in understanding, her expression immediately becoming more serious.

"I used a simple spell to make us invisible," he whispers, "but he will still hear us if he comes close enough."

Peter's voice echoes down the hall. "I wonder where Morgan and Loki could be!"

Loki winks at Morgan, and she grins back. They're wedged into the space between the elevator and the nearest file cabinet on this floor of the tower. It's not a floor frequented by the team – especially since everyone but Rogers seems to be averse to the paperwork side of hero life. Besides; do they even _need_ a paperwork floor? Coulson handles all of that.

"Boo!" Peter flips down from the ceiling, his upside-down visage making him appear even more foolish than usual.

Morgan shrieks in surprise before breaking into laughter, and Loki mock-frowns at the teenager, letting the spell fall away. "I thought we had agreed upon no powers, Spider."

Peter shrugs, grinning. "That was before you decided to cheat and use your fancy invisibility cloak."

"It is not a _cloak_. It is a cloaking _spell, _which your spider senses should not have picked up on. Besides which, I never cheat." He gives them both his most imperious look – the look he once reserved for visiting dignitaries and his father's council meetings. "I am a prince. I am above the law."

Morgan giggles as Peter drops to his feet. "And I'm a princess!" she exclaims, reaching for Loki. He picks her up, taking her to Peter's eye-level. "So Peter has to be a prince, too."

"You are certainly both Stark royalty," Loki says. He lowers his voice to a whisper. "But don't tell your father I said that."

Just then, a familiar voice breaks into their conversation. "Prince Loki, Mr. Stark has requested that you, Peter, and Morgan return to the common floor now."

Loki glances at the ceiling. "Thank you, JARVIS. Tell the old man we're on our way."

* * *

The moment they step out of the elevator, Morgan jumps from his arms, racing over to her father.

The sight warms Loki's heart. He has made peace with his family since the battle against Thanos, but such an open display of affection from a father to a child is still foreign to him. After all their late-night talks in the lab, he knows that Tony feels the same – but the genius is doing everything in his power to break that old cycle.

As if he knows when he is being thought about, Tony turns to face Loki. "Who you callin' old man, old man?"

Loki huffs, eyeing the ceiling. "Traitor."

"I'm terribly sorry, Prince Loki, but my loyalty lies with Mr. Stark," JARVIS replies, amusement clear in his tone.

"Besides," Tony continues, "I'm not the one who's a thousand and eighty."

"And I am not the one with graying hair," Loki counters, in the sweetest voice he can manage. At his side, Peter laughs, nudging Loki's shoulder with his own.

Tony feigns a mixture of shock and disgust at Peter's laughter. "Excuse me, young man, but which one of us got you into MIT?"

"Um…I got _myself_ into MIT."

Tony pauses a moment, then waves his free hand dismissively. "Details. C'mon, you two – Cap's gonna have a heart attack if we miss the fireworks tonight, so we gotta get this show on the road." He ruffles Morgan's hair, making her giggle. "Reindeer Games, are you wearing anything even _remotely _patriotic? This is your first Fourth of July as an official citizen of the United States!"

Loki rolls his eyes. So _dramatic._ With a wave of his hand, he changes his dark green top to a simple gray t-shirt with a picture of the American flag on it. Though wearing such ridiculous human clothing grates on him, he supposes he can make an exception for one night.

When he reversed time all those years ago, he never expected to find what he has found here – friendship, loyalty, kindness…a family. Even their country has opened its arms to him, in thanks for all he has done as an Avenger. The irony of that will _never_ be lost on him. Hence, it seems fair that he suffer through a few hours of looking more like a mortal than he would prefer.

Tony throws his free arm around Loki's shoulders. "Look at us. One of my protégés is off to college, the other is accepting American culture…" He pretends to blink back tears, resting his head against Morgan's. His voice is much higher than normal when he says, "They grow up so fast!"

Loki half-heartedly tries to pull away, using only a fraction of his true strength. "You are insufferable," he mutters, smirking.

Tony winks at him. "Back at ya, Reindeer Games."

Loki starts at the words. That is _exactly_ what Tony said to him upon his return to life, when they were plotting how to send him back in time. He searches his friend's eyes for an answer – and finds a flicker of memory buried deep in Tony's gaze.

Tony grins knowingly. "Happy Fourth of July, Loki."

He laughs, incredulous. This man will never cease to surprise him. "Happy Fourth of July, Tony."

As they make their way out onto the balcony, Loki feels a prickle of awareness on the back of his neck. Curious, he throws one last look over his shoulder.

Hela stands in front of the bar, hands on her hips, invisible to all eyes but his own. Her voice rings in his mind, clear and full of pride. _Well done, little brother._

Relief fills him. He hadn't been sure if she would reach out to him – and after so many years of waiting for any word from her, he had simply figured that she would remain silent. Seeing her today means that he can finally put old fears to rest. All will be well, now.

Loki inclines his head in thanks, unable to stop himself from smiling at his sister.

Without a second more of hesitation, he turns back around, following his newfound family out into the sunlight.

* * *

**A/N: The sun did shine on them again after all! :) Thank you for letting me take you on this journey. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**


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